title: Assessment of track microbubble flow signals on contrast-enhanced ultrasound with perflubutane following percutaneous liver biopsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It is important to detect post-liver biopsy hemorrhage early and confirm hemostasis in the clinical setting. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is a sensitive and highly specific tool for detecting active bleeding. The aim of this study was to investigate the rate of detection of track microbubble flow signals on CEUS with perflubutane following liver biopsy and to assess the disappearance of these signals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Microbubble flow signals along the needle track on CEUS were examined in 100 patients who underwent percutaneous US-guided liver biopsies. The microbubble flow signals were examined repeatedly until their disappearance. The patients were followed up with clinical and laboratory data to detect clinically significant hemorrhaging.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Microbubble flow signals on CEUS following percutaneous liver biopsy were seen in 33% of the patients. There were no significant differences in the platelet count, prothrombin time or length of the biopsy specimen between the patients with and those without microbubble flow signals on CEUS. The microbubble flow signals disappeared over time in all patients. There were no cases of clinically significant hemorrhaging in the present study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Track microbubble flow signals on CEUS are frequently observed after biopsies. The disappearance of a microbubble flow signal is a useful index for confirming hemostasis of postbiopsy hemorrhaging.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medicine and Clinical Science, Department of Multidisciplinary Internal Medicine, Tottori University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Shiho
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tokunaga
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koda
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyoshi
authors.forename: Manabu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kishina
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujise
authors.forename: Tomomitsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matono
authors.forename: Yoshikazu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Murawaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D045423:Microbubbles; D008875:Middle Aged; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D005466:Fluorocarbons; C108042:perfluorobutane